Issue #1 / 22 January 2010

Drought Update - Northland

Welcome to the first weekly update from the Northland drought extension sub-committee for rural professionals in the dairy, horticulture, sheep and beef sectors. We will be keeping you up-to-date with the situation around Northland and give you drought management tips to use with your clients.

Farmers coping with the current dry conditions face numerous challenges. Helping them plan and take positive action will ensure they get through the summer in the best condition possible.

Tafi Manjala
Chairman

Northland Extension Sub-committee Members:

Tafi Manjala (Chairman), David Swney and James Mwendwa (DairyNZ), Brian Hughes (Fonterra), Mike Eagles (Horticulture NZ), Malcolm McCullum (Meat and Wool), Gareth Baynham  (AgFirst), Debbie Johnson (Northland Regional Council) and John Blackwell (Sheep and Beef Council).

Current Situation:

• Northland received 31% of the long-term average rainfall during the months of Oct, Nov and Dec
• Milk production is 22% lower than last season on a daily basis and dropping by 1% per day. Season to date production on par with last season
• Maungatoroto's milk factory is closed due to low milk flows – a month earlier than normal
• Increase in the number of farmers diagnosed as having stress symptoms. Encourage and refer stressed people to seek help
• The Minister of Agriculture this week declared a drought for the Northland region. This is a "medium scale adverse event"
• Federated Farmers has responded by reactivating its 0800 DROUGHT phone line (0800 376 844) to match people looking for and offering feed
• There is a two week waiting period at the meat works
• A drought committee has been formed chaired by Sherill Dackers and there are sub-committees on Extension, Finance, and Welfare (People and Stock)
• The Daily Soil Moisture Deficit chart for Kerikeri below shows how dry it is. Kerikeri is the driest area in Northland. Other areas are approaching similar levels.

• In the next 15 days, Niwa says the probability of rain >5mm = 20%,  >10mm = 10%. The "moon man" Ken Ring suggests a cyclone by end of the month. Who is right?

Events:

Let your colleagues and clients know about these drought management events:

Dairy:

• 26th January: David and Heather Gray's farm, 73 West Road, Awanui S/N 10102 (10:30 -  1:30pm)
• 4th February: Gene and Jo Robert's property, 624 Pongakawa Bush Road
  Te Puke, S/N 21560. 10.30am – 12.30pm
• 8th February: Roger & Jan Hutchings' farm, Lodore Road, Okaihau S/N10555 11am – 1.30pm
• 15th February: Jordan Valley Farm,  259 Jordan Valley Road, Hikurangi S/N17063 11am – 1.30pm

• 3rd March: Northland Agricultural Research Farm, Cnr Baileys Coast Road & SH12  Dargaville, S/N18377 10.30am – 2.00pm

Sheep and Beef:

Drought response seminars will be held in the following locations:

• 2nd February: Dennis & Rachelle O’Callaghan's woolshed, 4365 State Highway 10, Aurere (just north of Taipa). 10am – 1pm. 
• 3rd February: Pakaraka Hall, SH1, Pakaraka, (venue TBC). 10am – 1pm. 
• 3rd February: Waiotira Golf Club, 100 Mititai Rd, Waiotira (venue TBC). 3pm – 6pm.   

Key Messages:

Below are key messages to help farmers manage their way through the drought:

Dairy:

1. Have some cows milking for when it does rain.
   • Match feed supply to cow demand. The same principle applies now as for the rest of the season
2. Achieve condition score and pasture cover targets for next season.
3. Know where you are now and where you need to be for 1 June 2010.
   • Pasture cover. Walk the farm and do a feed budget
   • Cow condition
   • Winter feed supplements
4. Have a written plan (financial, feed, stock, people) with set dates and review weekly.
   • Reduces stress
   • Decisions made early can reduce the need for drastic measures later, such as drying the whole herd off
   • Communicate the plan  to your team. There is an opportunity for ideas from sharing your plan
     • Your team includes family, staff, RPs (Banks, accountants, consultants) fellow farmers.

Sheep and Beef:

• Recognise the seriousness of the situation:
  • Respond early
  • Make a plan with dates.
• Destock:
  • Prioritise animals early. Get rid of animals you don’t expect to have in the autumn.
• Plan for the financial impact:
  • Immediate impact and the carryover impact
    • Buying back in on a ‘hot’ store market – look at alternatives
    • Reduced reproductive performance especially ewes
    • Less winter feed reserves.
• Maintain your key relationships:
  • Family
  • Staff
  • Trusted advisors (accountant, banker, stock agent)
  • Communicate your plan to your team.

Contacts:

If you require any further information on the Northland drought, please contact the relevant person below:

Dairy: Tafi Manjala, DairyNZ, email: tafadzwa.manjala@dairynz.co.nz

Sheep and Beef: Malcolm McCallum, Meat and Wool, email:   jamac.m@xtra.co.nz

Horticulture: Mike Eagles, Horticulture NZ, email: m.eagles@xtra.co.nz